Adelaide Crows willing to pay tax for soft-cap squeeze in appointing new coach after departures of Pyke, Burton and Camporeale
Adelaide is prepared to bust its soft football cap in a bold statement that it will go all out to achieve the best candidates as senior coach and head of football in the wake of more staff payouts.
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Adelaide is prepared to bust its soft football cap in a bold statement that it will go all out to achieve the best candidates as senior coach and head of football.
In 2015, the AFL set up a framework to equalize football department spend that saw powerhouses like Collingwood spend more than lower-profile clubs. The move infuriated Magpies president Eddie McGuire.
Adelaide must pay out the contracts of former senior coach Don Pyke and axed assistant Scott Camporeale and head of football Brett Burton next year and beyond. Pyke resigned, but Adelaide must pay a healthy portion of his deal for two seasons.
Adelaide chief executive Andrew Fagan said the Crows’ drive for change following its external review wouldn’t be compromised.
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“If we are required to pay some tax for a period of time we will,” Fagan told The Advertiser.
“That is why we work so hard to ensure the club is healthy off-field. Any of this change process and people moving on won’t affect any element of the football program. That is really important to know.”
The football department soft cap was staged at $9.4 million with clubs taxed 37.5 cents for cash spent above the threshold. The tax reached dollar-for-dollar level in 2017.
Clubs are usually reticent to pay the luxury tax but Fagan said Adelaide’s wouldn’t settle for second best in recruiting replacements for Pyke, nine-year assistant coach Camporeale, Burton or cut staff.
“Change can come at a cost but it won’t affect any decision we make,” said Fagan.
“If we are required to pay football tax as a result of that, we will, as opposed to making a decision to keep us under this threshold.”
Fagan, board director Mark Ricciuto, James Podsiadly and four-time Olympian Phil Smyth comprise the four-person panel to select Adelaide’s next coach.
Adelaide will announce Pyke’s successor as early as next Monday but Fagan makes no apology for the exhaustive process.
Current GWS and former Port Adelaide assistant Matthew Nicks is widely considered by bookmakers and commentators to be the frontrunner to win the role.
The new coach will miss all or the bulk of the trade period which ends on Wednesday but be in place for November’s national AFL draft.
The Western Bulldogs won the 2016 flag inside two years after Luke Beveridge’s November 2014 appointment as boss.
“We have done a heap of research to get a view on all the candidates. It has been a rigorous process,” said Fagan. “We are going to have a coach who is a really good fit for our club who is capable of leading a really talented group.”
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Adelaide’s bid to retain midfielder Brad Crouch and future superstars like Wayne Milera will be boosted by the completed review of the club football department.
The arrival of the best coach Adelaide can find is crucial, said Fagan.
“Ultimately retaining players is about having an environment they want to be part of and playing a brand of footy in front of fans who are embracing them,” said Fagan.
“We are making these decision to deliver that. I have spoken to series of players, they are united in their desire to deliver and have been frustrated by the past two years.”